Develop healthy relationships, (fall in love) and live longer by improving your health this Valentines Day.

Having fun together is vital for healthy relationships.

In a modern world where Tinder is the norm and a text message has replaced a love letter, make this Valentine’s Day an opportunity to refocus on what’s important in your relationship.

Tala Scott, relationship expert and founder of Evolve Today (an organisation committed to helping build lasting relationships), believes Valentine’s Day needs to be reshaped so we can learn to celebrate our partnerships on every day of the year, not just February 14. Tala shares her top strategies for strengthening and maintaining healthy relationships, to improve overall health and allow you to live longer.

Take time

Life gets so busy that sometime we forget to stop, feel and smile. It is crucial to to make an effort to show your partner how much they mean to you and sometimes this simply means giving them time and attention over a morning coffee or a 10 minute debrief each day after work.

Go on an adventure

Bring some fun back into the relationship by doing something out of the ordinary to re-live the feeling of falling in love all over again. Book a weekend getaway, go on a bushwalk or go late night skinny dipping to bring back a sense of spontaneity.

Exercise together

Incorporating a sweat session or two with your partner into your weekly routine will improve your connection by allowing you to support and push each other physically and mentally during training.

Commit to eating well

Commit and focus on eating a clean and healthy diet together. It will not only improve your overall health but allow you to create a good sense of self-control and balance within the relationship. Try cooking some new recipes and have fun in the kitchen.

Learn their language of love

Everyone has a different way of showing and accepting love, whether through physical touch, words of affirmation, quality time or receiving/giving gifts. Learn what your partner’s language of love is and work with it to ensure happiness is felt both ways. This is vital for all healthy relationships.

Date night away from distractions

Plan and allocate quality alone time together for romance and intimacy. Expressing sexuality to your partner is so important to a relationship and balances your heart, body, mind and soul.

Communicate

It is repeated over and over again, but open communication is imperative in a relationship and needs to be expressed daily. Whether you’re feeling frustrated, excited, satisfied or upset, tell your partner exactly how you feel.

Self-love

Holding a positive outlook and respect for yourself is crucial when developing all other healthy relationships. Having strong self-love is one of the greatest gifts you can give your partner and it will allow you to share so much more love and respect within the relationship.

Stephanie is a qualified Exercise and Sport Scientist who lives and breathes all things health and fitness. An Eastern Suburbs local, Stephanie spends her weekends being active outdoors, sipping on an espresso and hunting down the best smashed avo toast in Bondi. She has travelled to 5 out of 7 continents, jumped off one skyscraper and out of one plane to date.